Sure-catch latch for doors, &amp;c.



N0."844,907. PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907. J. B. AIKIN. SURE CATCH LATCH FORDOORS, 8w.

attoznm t APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1906.

wane/050 0 Maw/3% PATBNTED PEB.19, 1907.

J. B. AIKIN. SURE CATCH LATCH FOR DOORS, &0.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1906.

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

@Mlidillin,

JOHN B. AIKIN, OF BLOOMINGTON, OHIO.

SURE-CATCH LATCH FOR DOORS, 84.0.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed June 28,1906. Serial No. 323,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN B. AIKIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomington, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Sure- Catch Latch for Doors, Gates, &e.,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in latches.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction oflatches and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient latchadapted for use-on farm-gates, yardgates, barn doors, outbuildings, &c.,and capable of supporting the free end of a gate or door when the sameis closed, whereby such gate or door will be prevented from settling orsagging.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a latch of thischaracter which when a door or gate is quickly closed or slammed willpositively lock the same and prevent any accidental rebound of the gateor door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate-latch which whenoperated to unfasten a gate or door will serve to start the openingmovement of the same, and thereby obviate the necessity of holding thelatch in its unlocked position with one hand and simultaneouslyopeningthe gate or door with the other hand.

The invention also has for its object to provide a latch which will beadapted to receive the shackle of a padlock for positively looking agate or door.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size, and minor details of construction within the scope ofthe claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a latch constructed inaccordance with this invention and shown applied to a large farmgate.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch shown in Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a detail perspective view of one of the plates for clamping theadjustable gate member.

I l l l l l l l l l l l l l 1 l portion of the body is Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a latch designed for use on small gates, doors, andthe like and adapted to receive a padlock for locking the gate or door.Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 8 is a horizontalsectional view taken substantially on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawmgs.

1 designates the body of a latch which is designed for use on largefarm-gates. The body 1, which is constructed of cast-iron or othersuitable material, is substantially T- shaped and consists of a lowervertical portion and an inclined upper portion which extends from theopposite sides of the upper end of the vertical portion. The verticalprovided with suitable countersunk perforations 2, designed to receivelarge screws or other suitable fastening devices for securing the latchto a latch- .ost 3.

The lower half of the inclined upper portion of the body forms aninclined guidingarm 4, having a smooth upper face and adapted to guide agate member 5 into the latch. The upper half 6 of the inclined portionof the body projects upward to form a stop and is provided with a recess7 adapted to receive the gate member 5 and forming an overhangingengaging portion to prevent any upward movement of the gate member. Theupwardlyprojecting portion 6 is longitudinally slotted or bifurcated toprovide an opening 8 to receive a depending prong or arm 9 of a pivotedmember 10. The depending prong or arm is provided with a perforation forthe reception of a rivet 11,

which forms the pivot for the member 10 and which pierces the sides ofthe upwardlyprojeeting portion 6 of the body. The pivoted member extendsin advance and in rear of the upwardly-projccting portion 6 of the body,and either the rearwardly-extending portion may be sinmg downward or theforwardlyextending portion swung upward to release the gate member. Theslotted or bifurcated portion 6 is provided at the bottom of the opening8 with a solid connecting portion 12, which forms a stop for limitingthe swing of the pivoted member in one direction, the said pivotedmember being provided at the inner end of its rearwardly-extending armwith a shoulder 13 for engaging the bottom portion 12.

' the rod or pin.

When the pivoted latch member is swung upward, as illustrated in dottedlines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the depending prong 01' l arm 9 iscarried upwardly and projects lnto the recess 7 and lies in the path ofthe gate member 5 and is adapted to be engaged by I the same, wherebythe pivoted latch meml ber will be swung downward into engagement withthe latch member and will hold the same securely in its closed positionto prevent the gate from rebounding when l quickly closed or slammed.The pivoted,

latch member is provided at the front edge of the depending prong or armwith a recess, forming a hook or engaging portion 14, which swingsdownward and engages over the gate member. The front arm 15 of thepivoted latch member is arranged in an approximately horizontal positionwhen the latch is closed, and it is disposed at an angle to the inclinedguiding-arm 4, the space between the arms 4 and 15 tapering downwardly,as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The gate member is adaptedto readily enter the said space, and in the closing movement of the gateit will lift the pivoted latch member and engage the prong or arm andthen swing the latch member downward into engagement with it.

The latch is interposed between the latchpost 3 and the end of the gate16 when the latter is closed, as clearly shown in Fig. l of thedrawings. The gate member, which consists of a rod or pin, forms aprojecting stud and is adjustably mounted between the front end bars 17of the gate to enable it to be moved inwardly or outwardly, so that itwill properly pass into the latch. The gate member is secured betweenthe bars 17 by means of a pair of clamping plates or members 18, havingmatching grooves 19, conforming to the configuration of the rod or pinand formed in projecting horizontallydisposed portions or enlargementsof the plates. The clamping-plates 18 are secured between the bars 17 bymeans of bolts 20, arranged in pairs and located above and below Thefront or outer ends of the plates 18 are provided withlaterally-extending flanges 21, which fit against the outer edges of thebars 17 ,-as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, of the drawings is illustrated another formof the latch which is designed particularly for use on small yard-gates,barn-doors, outbuildings, and the like. This form of latch is providedwith a body portion 22, adapted to be secured by screws or othersuitable fastening devices to one of the side faces of a latch-post 23and having a slot or bifurcation for the reception of a pivoted latchmember 24. The slot or bifurcation extends through the intermediateportion of the body to provide an enlarged opening 25, and it forms apair of projecting 1 to 5, inclusive.

guiding-arms 26, which have inclined upper edges for guiding a gatemember 27 into the latch. The body portion at the inner ends of the arms26 pro ects above the-same and is provided with opposite recesses 28,adapted to receive the gate member 27 and forming overhanging portionsto prevent any upward movement of the gate member.

The gate member 27, which forms a pro jecting stud, consists of asubstantially L shaped projecting portion and an attachmentplate 29,which is secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices to one ofthe side faces of a gate 30. The L-shaped projecting portion extendshorizontally from the attachment-plate, and the engaging portion thereofis adapted to extend across the latch when the gate is closed, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The engaging portion orstud is disposed horizontally and is arranged in spaced relation withthe side faces of the gate or door to which it is secured.

The latch member, which is mounted on a horizontal pivot 31, isapproximately L- shaped, and it has a depending prong or arm 32, whichextends between the guiding-arms 26 and which operates similar to thedepending prong or arm of the latch shown in Figs. The depending prongor arm projects into or in advance of the recess 28 and is arranged inthe path of the gate member when the pivoted latch member is swungupward to the position illustrated in dotted lines of Fig. 7 of thedrawings, and the said prong or arm 32 is adapted to be engaged by thegate member 27, whereby the latch member is swung downwardly and iscaused to hook over the gate member 27. The depending prong or varm isprovided at its inner or rear edge with a projection 33, arranged toengage the body of the latch at the back of the recess or bifurcation tolimit the swing of the pivoted latch member in one direction.

The body portion of the pivoted latch member extends outwardly from thepivot 31 in substantially a horizontal position when the latch isclosed, and it is provided at its lower edge with a recess 34, forming ahook 35 for engaging over the gate member. The projecting body portionof the latch member is provided with an opening 35'" to enable it to beconveniently grasped, and in order to enable the latch to be operatedfrom the op posite side of the gate or door a wire 36 or other suitableoperating device is employed. The wire, which is secured in aperforation 37 of the projecting portion of the latch member, extendsthrough an opening 38 of the latch-post and is provided with a loop 39or other suitable means for enabling it to be readily grasped. When theoperating-wire 38 is pulled, the pivoted latch member will be swungupwardly for opening the gate or door.

ICO

. having an incline ii-In order to enable a gate or door to be locked,the guiding-arms 26 of the body of the latch is enlarged and is providedwith transversely-alined openings 40, located in advance of the lowerend of the depending prong or arm 32 and adapted to receive the shackle41 of a padlock 42. The shackle 41 extends across the space between thearms 26 and confines the pivoted latch member in engagement with thegate member.

it will be seen that the latch in both its forms is exceedingly simpleand inexpensive j mg a gate or door when the latch member is inconstruction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and thatits operation does not depend on the employment of springs. Also it willbe clear that when a gate or door is slammed or quickly closed it willbe held and prevented be impossible for any domestic animal to root orhit the gate upward and unlatch the the same, as the u wardly-extendingportion of the body of the ateh projects over the gate member and formsan overhanging portion which holds the gate member against upwardmovement. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the adjustable gatemember is adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly to compensate forany change in the position of the gate-post, so that it will properlyenter the latch.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a latch of the class described, the combination with a gatemember, of a body provided with a rojecting guiding portion d upperedge, said body being extended upward at the inner end of the guidingportion and having a recess thereat forming an overhanging portionextending over the gate member and forming a stop for holding the saidgate member against upward movement, and a movable latch member pivotedto the said body and provided with an engaging portion or hook locatedabove the saii guiding portion and at apoint in advance of the saidoverhanging portion.

2. In a latch of the. class described, the combination with a gatemember, of a bony provided with a projecting guiding portion having aninclined upper .ezi-ge, said body being extended upward at the inner endof the guiding portion and provided with a recess forming an overhangingportion, and a movable latch member pivoted to the b my and providedwith an engaging portion or hook, and having a depending portion or armlying in rear and below the gate member when the l i l l l I l l l l l ll l l from rebounding and that it will 1 latch member is in its lockedposition, and extending into the said recess and arranged in the path ofthe gate member when the latch member is raised.

3. In a latch of the class described, the combination with a gatemember, of a body, a movable latch member pivoted to the bony andprovided with an engaging ')OIbl0Il and having a depending arm or pronglying below Y and in rear of the gate member when the latch. member isin its locked position and adapted to engage the gate member foropenraised, said depending arm or prong being also adapted to projectinto the path of the gate member when the latch member is in the latterposition.

l. In a latch of the class described, the combination with a body, and amovable latch member, of an adjustable gate member, and clamping platesor members arranged to engage the gate member.

5. In a latch ol" the class described, the combination with a body, anda movable latch member, of an adjustable gate member, and a pair ofclamping-plates having inner groove engaging portions receiving andclamping the gate member.

6. In a latch 01 the class described, the combination with a body, and amovable latch member, of a pair of clamping plates or members designedto be arranged between the end bars of a gate, an adjustable gate memberarranged between and clamped by the said plates or members, andfastening means for securing the plates or members to the gate and forholding them in engagement with the gate member.

7. In a latch of the class described, the combination with a body, and amovable latch member, of a pair of clamping plates or members designedto be arranged between the end bars of a gate and provided with flangesfor engaging the same, said plates or members being also provided attheir inner faces with projecting grooved portions, an adjustable gatemember iitted in and engaged by the grooved portions ol' the plates ormembers, and fastening means for securing the plates or members to thegate and for holding them in engagement with the gate member.

- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have heretoa'llixed signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. AIKIN.

\Vitnesses:

HUGH BELL, WALTER H. DAKIN.

ion in Correct It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 0.844,907, granted February 19, 1907,

upon the application of John B. Aikin, of Bloomington, Ohio, for animprovement in Sure-Catch Latches for Doors, &c., an error occurs in theprinted specification requiring correction, as follows; In line 85, page3, the word groove should read grooved and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this correction therein that the same may conform tothe record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of March, A. D., 1907.

[SEAL] F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

